When will the Tories get back to their pre-March 2012 budget polling position with ICM – a 3% lead?

Before June 30th 2013

Before December 31st 2013

Before June 30th 2014

Before December 31st 2014

Before May 7th 2015

Not until after the general election

For me the most signficant feature of George Osborne’s Autumn statement was the ferocity in which he defended the reduction, announced in the March budget, of the top rate of income tax from 50p to 45p.

His argument was straightforward – there were no apologies for the decision because the lower rate will produce a higher tax yield.

The problem is that this doesn’t resonate so easiliy especially during a period of austerity when most people are having to tighten their belts in some way.

Osborne maybe right but he’s got a big communications task on his hands.

So are we going to see the Tories back with the 3% ICM lead they were enjoying before the budget? Take the PB poll.